What is needed is a system that allows the brand owner
to approve a color and then know that prepress vendors, ink
suppliers and printers are all using the correct color infor-
mation at all stages of the job workflow. The ultimate goal of
centralized color servers is to provide the brand owners with
piece of mind that the color information is being communi-
cated correctly from design to finished product.
AdvAntAges of Cloud Computing
A centralized color database facilitates accurate color
communication throughout the supply chain. The utilization
of Internet technology allows all supply chain members, from
brand owners and prepress vendors to printers and ink sup-
pliers, to access the exact same color information.
A uniform applications programming interface (API) fur-
ther insures that all supply chain members have equal and
simultaneous access to the color information, regardless of
the client software applications they choose to utilize, as long
as those applications support the database API. Gone are the
days of emailing color standards, or worse yet, sending physi-
cal swatches via overnight delivery.
The correct color information is accessible anywhere in the
world anytime with an API accessible centralized color server.
The concern that swatches won’t arrive at the manufactur-
ing facility in time is no longer an issue. The cost to overnight
swatches and incur press downtime charges while waiting
become a problem of the past.
With all color information residing on a single, central-
ized color server, duplicate colors can be consolidated with
advanced search technologies. Fewer colors for the supply
chain to manage results in savings of many kinds—for ex-
ample, a reduction in errors with fewer similar colors to select
from, or less ink inventory to manage for the printing facility.
speCtrAl refleCtAnCe dAtA
Spectral reflectance curves are the lowest common de-
nominator of color information. With a spectral reflectance
curve, all other colormetric and densitometric values can be
calculated. This is a bit of an over simplification, as entire
international standards have been written on the subject.
Suffice it say that values like L*a*b*, L*C*H*, XYZ, den-
sity, dot area, tone value increase and just about any other
measure of color or print quality you are familiar with can be
derived from a spectral reflectance curve.
Of even greater importance, however, is the ability to derive
the aforementioned values based upon any illuminant and
observer pair. These are denoted as D50/2 degree or per-
haps D65/10 degree. Again, suffice it to say that when color
standards are provided in, say L*a*b* D50/2 degree, they
can not be converted to D65/10 degree. Different illuminant
and observer pairs will result in different values. Working with
a spectral reflectance curve standard, either can be quickly
and easily delivered.
Additionally, availability of spectral reflectance curves
provides the ability to compare curves for metemeric match
issues. While there are mathematical equations to calculate
the likelihood of a metemeric pair, it is often just as quick to
visually assess the fit of two spectral curves to each other.
In fact, you could compare the spectral response of dif-
ferent instrument models across the entire visual spectrum.
With this information, you would be able to assess the ability
to use different models of instruments across your system
for color verification and process control. Using instruments
SeSSion TopicS:
• FREE Pre-conference: Color Success Before
Getting to Press
• The Great Flexo Digital Plate Debate
• Sustainability from the Printer’s Perspective
• Impacting an Industry – The Flexo Quality
Consortium
• The Voice of the Industry: Best of FLEXO Magazine
• Process Improvement – Best Practices FIRST
• Color Consistency for Packaging – FIRST and
Worldwide Standards
RaTeS:
Consumer Product Company
FTA Member: $95 | Non-member: $190
Printer/Converter & Design Firm
FTA Member: $295 | Non-member: $590
General Attendee (non-exhibiting company)
FTA Member: $595 | Non-member: $1,190
General Attendee (exhibiting company)
FTA Member: $395 | Non-member: $790
www.flexography.org | www.ftastore.com
November 8-10 | Hyatt Regency | Louisville, Kentucky
chaiR: CAyleigh NiChols, PrAirie sTATe grouP | co-chaiR: riChArd BlACk, All PriNTiNg resourCes, iNC.
FFTA’s 2010 FAll ConFerenCe & TAbleTop exhibiTion
A
rate idea:
The future of flexo & process improvement
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